Dame Judith Obiajulu Amaechi (née Nwankwo; born 24 December 1970) is the wife of former

Rivers State Rivers is a states of Nigeria, state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed on 27 May 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Nigeria, Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include Imo State, Im ...

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Chibuike Amaechi. She is head of the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) which campaigns against

HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

, advocates the rights of the women and children, and promotes

gender equity Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, gender egalitarianism, or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, an ...

and Girl Child education. Amaechi was born on 24 December 1970 in Enugu Ukwu, Anambra State. She attended

Federal Government Girls' College, Abuloma Federal Government Girls' College, Abuloma is a girls' secondary school in Abuloma, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, established in 1975. History Federal Government Girls' College, Abuloma was set up in 1974 and opened in 1975, in Bokokiri, Port Harco ...

for her secondary education. She then attended Rivers State University of Science and Technology, where she graduated as an Urban and Regional Planning Professional. She married Chibuike Amaechi and they have three children. Amaechi launched the Empowerment Support Initiative, a

Non-Governmental Organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

(NGO), on 16 October 2008. The NGO provides practical support and advice for women and children, particularly the most disadvantaged. In June 2009, speaking during International Widows Day, Amaechi called for review of native laws and customary practices that cause distress to widows, sometimes throwing them into abject poverty. In March 2010 she visited Israel with the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Manuela George-Izunwa, to inspect farms and discuss training and development of agriculture among women in Rivers State. In 2009 Amaechi sponsored a free mass de-worming program Rivers State children. She was a strong supporter of the Child Rights Act passed in Rivers state in 2010, aiming to prevent abuse of children. In August 2010 she opened a four-week Information and Communication Technology Farm, which provides free computer training in the holidays to junior and senior secondary school students.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amaechi, Judith Living people Nigerian women in politics First ladies and gentlemen of Rivers State Rivers State politicians 1970 births Rivers State University alumni People from Anambra State Nigerian feminists Nigerian HIV/AIDS activists Nigerian Christians Activists from Rivers State